The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-03-21

AT this point Mrs. Estabr0ok demonstrated.
"Really, Maud, that is too muchv'
"Oh, mamma, anything to keep him quiet
and good-tempered," said Maud. "And you
know he was TO have taken tea with us"
"But If he should burn the house down
smoking them?" anxiously suggested her
mother;
thing to use his matches WITH" answered
Maud, with a mastery stroke of logic. "And
they always do have Matches" she conclud-
ed indefinitely. Her reasoning carried the
day, SC, the cigars went up and the rope came
down, for this was point ON which Maud
was firm. She had no intention of leaving
that rope in their buTglarious visitors pos
session.
The evening waned, and still there was no
sign OF Peters return. The two ladies did
not dream of sleeping, but kept watch
throughout the night in the room adjoining
that OF their prisoner, braclng themselves
with strong tea for their task. 1t was weary
work, however, and the minutes crept slow
ly into the small hours.
The hall clock had just struck the quaretr
before two, when the silence OF the mouse
was disturbed by alittle sound which seemed
INTERNATIONALLY loud to their strained ears.
Mrs Estabrook sat erect to listen, wnile
| Maud turned up the glimmering lamp. Again
| came the sound. slight but distinct, scratch,
| scratch-file, file.
MAUD, what is that noise?'" said Mrs: Es-
| tabrook, with the calmness of despair. Maud
| declined to commit herself prematurely.
"Maud." said her mother again, tits down
| at the piazza window. lists confeder-
ate of that man in there! Oh, don't tell me!
| / kn0ic!"
Maud frowned thoughtfully. Her mothers
idea seemed only too plausible.
Hell get in, and let the other one out"
pursued Mrs. Estabrook,. breathlessly; land
then they'll go through the house, and rob
and murder us all. Oh dearl Oh-hw
Don't mamma dear! pray DON'T" entreat-
ed Maud, as the poor lady,. overwhelmed by
| her own picture, showed signs of becoming
| historical, and uttered several small screams.
| Upon this, the occupant of the next room,
| who hitherto had given no sign of life, began
| to knock on the door between the two cham
bers. Maud drew near, and the following
conversation took place.
Miss Estabrook!'
eyes,
Excuse me, but is anything wrong?"
Maud hesitated. Mrs. Estabrook mean
time had checked herself, and was holding
her breath to listen. Receiving no answer
he presently spoke again.
what is that noise hear down stairs?'
1--WE don't know" said Maud; "but-"
"But what? Is that what is alarming
your"
Maud considered. ''We are afraid it is "a
"What! Another" exclaimed the stran-
ger. Then he checked himself. Don't you
think you'd better send me to dispose of
| him?" be suggested, with an admirable as
| sumption Oh Tile DOluutSS VI lUuOctuCe.
MAUD" sharply protested Mrs. Esta-
brook.
zone moment, mamma" rejoined her
paughter, Il am not sure.' She turned to
the door again. "You are quite certain he is
not an-an-an assistant of yours ?" she asked
in the politest terms she could select.
Let me out, and you shall see. Upon my
honor" Here the words were lost in a
stifled sound.
SIS the man laughing?" demanded Mrs.
| IN
suspicion entered her mind: Maud, do you
believe lie is exactly in his right mind?''
81 don't think he can be" Maud answered,
doubtfully; but seeing her mothers growing
alarm, she FASTENED to add, "but we evident
~ have certain control over him, and-real-
ly, mamma, don't know but it would be
better to let him drive the other away. No
but hear me out. They can't be accomplices
and if we must be in the power of either
why, would much sooner trust this one. He
Is far superior to ordinary burglars" con-
cluded Maud, with fine air of connoisseur
ship in this particular branch of the danger
GUS classes.
Her opinion, as usual, prevailed, and theil
prisoner was Informed that if he would MOI
move until given time he should be re
leased. As he readily agreed to the condi
lions, the girl stole out into the passage
turned the key very softly, and then fey
back into her own room, which she locked il
hot haste. Here she knocked on the inne
door, and at the appointed sign heard tn
young man dash through the corridor an,
: down stairs There was sound of rattlin
l glass, an alteration of voices, pistol shot
and then brief period of suspense, durin
which the hearts of the two women stoo
still. Then steps returned along the pas
t sage, crossed through the next room, an
Y stopped beside the door of communication
where rap resounded.
miss Estabrook, have come back" sal
a quiet voice.
4 "And the-the man?" asked Maud breath
, lessly.
"Oh, fancy he'll give you no more trouble
Judging from the gr0an / heard as he beat
0 retreat, he won't feel in spirits for any MOI
/: of this business tonight"
We've are very much obliged to yon,
stanmered Maud, rather at a loss what I
: say under the circumstances.
mot at all. 1t was pleasure to me. ii
a was Infringing on my rights, you know"
Silence followed, broken by another rap.
y Miss Estabrook, am waiting to
locked in again."
n 'sDo you really mean" began Maud.
Certainly. l must insist, if you Pleas
> I'll stay here till you give me the word"
BE quick, Maud whispered Mrs. Ests
brook, very distrustful of this extraordinal
ID burglar. "Ihe man is either criminal or
;. lunatic Run and turn the key. child. befol
:, he changes his mind"
&c Thus urged, the girl made another sorti
= Once more the key clicked in the lock, the
u prisoner was heard to cross the floor, al
d Not for long, however. Suddenly the
= was a confused clamor at the outside doc
u while the bell pealed loudly through Il
r house. Maud and her mother sprang up al
d faced each other.
'That man back again ?" faltered Mrs E
tabrook.
q, "Oh, mamma, mol" said Maud, reassurin
l. ly. "a burglar would never ring the be
X Why, it's Toni" che cried, with sudden CO
= viction. "It's my brother come home," s
Us rQpQatad q : q uniaQ from the npXt room
to heard, with renewed proffers of assistance,
Tom it was indeed, and very anxi0
|, about the safety of the household. As t
=, brother and sister met in the gray of the ca
e! ly dawn, he hastily explained how, havi
m called in to see Amelia, she had given him
II peace until he promised TO return at once
- The Willows; how he had done so, in son
% yexatlon at what he considered her fus
an ness, until everything had suddenly be-
all driven out of his mind by the sight of a bio
stain on the piazza. At this Maud shu
- dered, and was about to relate her versi
ia Of the nights adventures, when Mrs. Est
WI brooks voice was heard in reproachful {
p- cents from above. They fastened upstai
les at being left alone. She began an incol
ne rent story, in which Peter and the burgl
er- were junfbled, to Toms utter bewildermel
, nS But who winged the burglar, tben?"
cy 'Hush-sh!' breathed his mother, vi
ed you know"
We 'In there why, thought you said he "
IN. gone? And what on earth is Peter in tn,
W, for?"
ler mo, no, not Peter; the-the burglar
me 1.-The burglarw Tom jumped up. ~
leu don't mean you've trapped the fellow? Il
vow And he was hurryins to the door, wi
am his sister laid hand on his arm.
"Oh, wait, Tom," she said. THAT is
:, oldest part of it ALL" And she told the t
IN of their strange guest. 1T doesn't Sc
ler like his being burglar, but l don't think
Ike can be in his right mind, )" she concluded
OIL
man must be a first-class crank Well,
nd have look at him."
III, He left the room, and the two won
nu heard the key turn in the lock. They h
up their breath to listen. but all they could {
ne tinguish in the next room was confu
me sound of voices and laughter. Presently I
Ut came back, accompanied by the supp'
ey; titious burglar.
al my mother and sister, Folliott," S
'eu Tom, with wave of the hand and twin
:, of the eye. mother, this is my friend,
81 Folliott, who seems to think there is so
ttihe mystery that needs clearing up. Go ah
sue Folliott, your turn first" concluded L
an with grin, as he dropped into a seat.
er' ThereupoD Mr.. F0lliott explained that,
er, the course of his pedestrian tour, it occur
tef TO him to look up friend who was maxim
'eu short stay somewhere in that neighborho
+ - lN-k. Il. ~